There are a number of reasons that an organisation might be considering investing in a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, or upgrading their current one. Implementing ERP solutions is a popular choice for organisations worldwide; according to recent research, the global ERP software market is projected to reach $78.40 billion by 2026. An impressive figure, but the decision to invest in a new ERP system or upgrade a current one can be difficult when there's a sea of new technologies emerging every day.
Conducting a Business Process Review (BPR) is one of the best and most effective ways to decide what kind of ERP solution would best suit your organisation’s needs. A BPR will check your business from top to bottom, providing you with the information you need to select an ERP system that will encourage business growth while automating daily business tasks.
A BPR lays the foundation for several subsequent phases of a typical implementation project, such as system design, pilot phase, user training etc. - all of which rely on clearly defined business processes. A BPR should be conducted with your ERP partner, who will start by understanding your strategy then challenge your processes, impart their knowledge regarding industry best practices and ultimately suggest and work with you to implement improved business processes throughout the organisation; all supported by your new ERP system.
How does a BPR get started?
An important first step is to identify the key reasons your organisation would benefit from an ERP investment. One of the main drivers we've seen in businesses that work with us at Endeavour is where the business is using multiple systems to achieve the same result. There might be one for financials, another for manufacturing, one for HR, and so on. They might also be using multiple spreadsheets for tracking purposes. When there are several systems at work, there's more scope for error, and they can be time-consuming and inefficient. Staff are often spending too much time on manual processes and updating several systems - time they could be spending on more productive, high-value tasks.
Not only that, but the information that's held in those systems might not be available to everyone who needs it, and it could be outdated. Business growth can also be a factor; often organisations have grown beyond the capabilities of the software they're currently using. Failure to modernise and upgrade can hamper business growth, and leave companies behind their competition.
If any of these factors sound familiar, it's a good indicator that your business should seriously consider investing in a new ERP system, or updating the one you have.
What are the benefits of conducting a BPR?
The goal of a BPR is to help your organisation:
- Enable change - your teams will see how the processes they use every day can be improved and/or automated using the new system
- Experience a smoother implementation - with key people on board from the beginning, the risk of users not engaging with the new system is minimised
- Identify risks or unknowns - these often become apparent only during the BPR
- Identify all of the areas that are within the scope of the project
At Endeavour, our method is to spend an agreed amount of time with key stakeholders within an organisation. And these aren't just managers and team leaders; we get input from the users as well, because often they're able to describe their daily processes in greater detail. They're more familiar with the anomalies of their job - they'll tell us where their pain points lie.
Tips for conducting a BPR
When we conduct BPRs with our clients, we always advise:
- Taking your time - you and your staff need to dedicate time to working with our consultant
- Senior management buy-in - managers and team leaders need to set the example for everyone else, and remain the main drivers and supporters of the ERP project
- Following on from the above, team leaders need to encourage their staff to embrace change and be willing to accept new ways of doing things
We make sure that we have a deep and clear understanding of how your company works, so that we can identify how an ERP solution can improve your business processes in the short and long term. We capture the key performance indicators and all metrics that are important to your organisation. The goal of a new or upgraded ERP is to provide your team with more control of their day-to-day processes, and the BPR stage is essential to ensuring the ERP fulfils that role.
Get in touch with us to start a discussion around your business needs, and how we can get a BPR started.
